In the industrial heart of Birmingham, England, a working-class boy named John Michael Osbourne was born on December 3, 1948. Few could have predicted that this child from the Aston neighborhood would grow up to become one of the most influential and iconic figures in music history. The man the world would come to know as Ozzy Osbourne emerged from humble beginnings, his early life shaped by the gritty, post-war industrial landscape of the British Midlands.
Like many children of his generation, young Ozzy faced numerous challenges growing up. School was particularly difficult for him, as he struggled with dyslexia in an era when learning disabilities were poorly understood. By his teenage years, Osbourne had left formal education behind and worked a series of manual jobs, including a stint at a slaughterhouse. These early experiences would later influence the dark, industrial themes that permeated his music.
Music became Ozzy’s escape and passion. Inspired by The Beatles and other British Invasion bands, he dreamed of becoming a rock star. This dream began to take shape when he placed an advertisement in a local music shop: “Ozzy Zig requires gig, owns own PA.” This simple notice would set in motion a chain of events that would change the landscape of music forever.
In 1968, Ozzy connected with guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler, and drummer Bill Ward to form a blues rock band initially called the Polka Tulk Blues Band, which was quickly renamed Earth. The four working-class lads from Aston shared a love of heavy blues rock and a desire to create something different from the flower power music dominating the era.
The band’s transformation from Earth to Black Sabbath came after Butler noticed people lining up to see a horror film of the same name. Intrigued by the public’s fascination with the macabre, the band adopted the name Black Sabbath and began crafting music that matched this darker identity. Their sound was further shaped when Iommi, who had lost the tips of two fingers in a factory accident, detuned his guitar to make it easier to play, inadvertently creating the down-tuned, heavy sound that would become a hallmark of metal music.
On Friday, February 13, 1970, Black Sabbath released their self-titled debut album. The opening track, also titled “Black Sabbath,” began with the sound of rain and tolling bells before launching into a tritone riff that would come to be known as “the devil’s interval.” From those first ominous notes, it was clear that Black Sabbath was offering something entirely new to the world of music. Heavy metal was born.
Black Sabbath’s rise was meteoric. Following their debut, the band quickly released Paranoid (1970), which contained some of their most enduring songs, including “Iron Man,” “War Pigs,” and the title track. These songs, with their heavy riffs, apocalyptic lyrics, and Ozzy’s distinctive wailing vocals, resonated with a generation disillusioned by the Vietnam War and the fading promises of the 1960s.
The band continued their prolific output with Master of Reality (1971), Vol. 4 (1972), Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (1973), and Sabotage (1975). Each album expanded their musical palette while maintaining the heaviness that had become their trademark. Ozzy’s voice became one of the most recognizable in rock, his haunting delivery perfectly complementing the band’s doom-laden soundscapes.
But with success came excess. The band’s growing fame brought unlimited access to drugs and alcohol, and Ozzy embraced these vices with particular enthusiasm. His substance abuse began to affect his reliability and performance, creating tension within the band. By the late 1970s, Black Sabbath was struggling to maintain their creative momentum, and Ozzy’s behavior was becoming increasingly erratic.
The breaking point came during the troubled recording sessions for 1978’s Never Say Die!. Ozzy briefly quit the band before returning, but the chemistry was irreparably damaged. In 1979, the other members of Black Sabbath made the difficult decision to fire their frontman. It was a devastating blow for Ozzy, who fell into a depression fueled by even heavier substance abuse.
What could have been the end of Ozzy’s musical journey instead became a new beginning. Don Arden, a music manager, took interest in the fallen frontman and assigned his daughter, Sharon Arden, to look after Ozzy’s career. This professional relationship would blossom into romance, and Sharon would become not only Ozzy’s wife but the architect of his solo success.
Sharon helped Ozzy assemble a new band, recruiting guitarist Randy Rhoads, bassist Bob Daisley, and drummer Lee Kerslake. Rhoads, a classically trained guitarist with a distinctive playing style, proved to be the perfect musical foil for Ozzy. Their collaboration produced the 1980 album Blizzard of Ozz, which included the hit “Crazy Train” and established Ozzy as a viable solo artist.
The follow-up album, Diary of a Madman (1981), further cemented Ozzy’s solo career. However, tragedy struck in March 1982 when Randy Rhoads was killed in a plane crash while on tour. The loss devastated Ozzy, who considered quitting music altogether. Instead, with Sharon’s encouragement, he persevered, working with a succession of talented guitarists including Jake E. Lee and Zakk Wylde.
Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, Ozzy released a string of successful albums, including Bark at the Moon (1983), The Ultimate Sin (1986), No Rest for the Wicked (1988), and No More Tears (1991). His solo work, while maintaining elements of the heaviness that defined Black Sabbath, incorporated more commercial hard rock elements, helping him reach an even wider audience.
As Ozzy’s solo career flourished, so did his reputation for outrageous behavior. Several infamous incidents cemented his image as “The Prince of Darkness.” In 1982, he bit the head off a bat during a concert in Des Moines, Iowa, mistakenly believing it was a rubber prop thrown on stage. Earlier, in 1981, he had bitten the head off a dove during a meeting with record executives. These shocking acts, combined with his substance abuse and slurred speech, created a public persona that was equal parts fascinating and frightening to the mainstream public.
Ozzy’s music and imagery often incorporated occult and horror themes, further fueling his controversial reputation. This led to him becoming a target for religious groups and concerned parents, who viewed him as a corrupting influence on youth. The Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC) frequently cited Ozzy’s music in their campaign for warning labels on albums.
Despite—or perhaps because of—these controversies, Ozzy’s popularity continued to grow. His concerts became legendary events, and his Halloween-themed Ozzfest tour, launched in 1996, grew into one of the most successful touring festivals in music history, providing a platform for countless metal and hard rock bands.
In 2002, Ozzy’s life took an unexpected turn when his family became the subject of MTV’s reality show The Osbournes. The show, which offered an unfiltered look at Ozzy’s home life with Sharon and their children Kelly and Jack, was an immediate hit. Viewers were charmed by the contrast between Ozzy’s fearsome public image and his fumbling, mumbling domestic persona. The show humanized the Prince of Darkness, revealing him to be a loving, if somewhat bewildered, family man struggling with the ordinary challenges of daily life.
The Osbournes made Ozzy a mainstream cultural icon, introducing him to audiences who had never listened to his music. He appeared at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, had a wax figure installed at Madame Tussauds, and was recognized with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The once-feared metal vocalist had improbably transformed into a beloved pop culture figure.
Throughout this period of mainstream fame, Ozzy continued to make music. He reunited with Black Sabbath for live performances on several occasions and released solo albums including Down to Earth (2001), Under Cover (2005), and Black Rain (2007). In 2013, he reunited with Black Sabbath for the album 13, their first studio album with Ozzy since 1978. The album was a critical and commercial success, topping charts worldwide and earning the band their first Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance.
As Ozzy entered his later years, health issues began to take their toll. Decades of substance abuse had impacted his physical well-being, and he faced numerous medical challenges. In 2003, he was diagnosed with Parkin syndrome, a genetic condition with symptoms similar to Parkinson’s disease. He also suffered from tremors and other neurological symptoms that affected his mobility and speech.
In 2019, Ozzy experienced a serious fall at his home, dislodging metal rods that had been inserted into his spine following a 2003 ATV accident. The injury required surgery and a lengthy recovery period. In January 2020, he publicly revealed that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, explaining that he had been dealing with the condition since 2003 but had kept it private.
Despite these health challenges, Ozzy’s creative spirit remained undiminished. In 2020, he released Ordinary Man, his first solo album in a decade, which featured collaborations with Elton John, Post Malone, and others. The album was well-received by critics and fans alike, demonstrating that even in his seventies, Ozzy remained a vital musical force.
In 2022, despite his declining health, Ozzy released another album, Patient Number 9, which featured an all-star lineup of guest musicians including Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, and his former Black Sabbath bandmate Tony Iommi. The album showcased Ozzy’s enduring vocal abilities and his continued relevance in the world of rock and metal.
As 2025 approached, rumors began to circulate about a possible final Black Sabbath reunion. Despite his health issues, Ozzy expressed a desire to perform one last time with his original bandmates in their hometown of Birmingham. On July 5, 2025, this wish became reality when the original Black Sabbath lineup—Ozzy, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward—reunited for the “Back to the Beginning” concert at Villa Park in Birmingham.
The concert was a monumental event, drawing an audience of 42,000 fans from around the world. It marked the first time the original lineup had performed together since 2005. The significance of the band returning to their birthplace for this final bow was not lost on anyone, least of all the band members themselves.
In addition to performing with Black Sabbath, Ozzy also delivered a solo set, showcasing songs from throughout his career. The concert featured tributes from other legendary acts including Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Slayer, and Pantera, all acknowledging the profound influence Black Sabbath had on their own music.
No one could have known that this triumphant homecoming would be Ozzy’s final performance. Just weeks later, on July 22, 2025, the Osbourne family announced that Ozzy had passed away, surrounded by his loved ones.
The news of Ozzy’s death sent shockwaves through the music world and beyond. Black Sabbath responded with a brief but poignant social media post featuring a photo of Ozzy from the “Back to the Beginning” concert, accompanied by the words: “Ozzy forever.”
